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Recipe: Curried Sweet Potato

sliced and whole sweet potato on a wood cutting board

This healthy recipe will make your sweet potatoes taste like an exotic treat. We’ve simplified the ingredients so this not only works for holiday gatherings… but also for everyday meals.

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

  • 4 medium sweet potatoes

  • ½ cup (120 ml) unsweetened creamy oat milk 

  • ½ tsp curry powder

  • 4 thin 2” (5 cm) slices of peeled fresh ginger

  • Freshly ground sea salt

  • 1 lime, juiced

  • Toasted cashews for garnish (optional)

  • Handful chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F / 200°C. Wrap the sweet potatoes individually in foil and bake until soft, about 1 hour. Carefully remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

  2. Combine the oat milk, curry powder, and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and let simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes. Remove the ginger from the pan and discard.

  3. In a high-speed blender or food processor, drain the juices from the sweet potatoe packets. Scrape the sweet potatoes out of their skin and add the flesh to the food processor. Add the oat milk mixture along with salt to taste (about 1/2  tsp) and puree until the potatoes are smooth.

  4. Pour the sweet potatoes into a serving bowl and squeeze lime juice over the top. Top with the optional cashew and cilantro garnish.


Recipe by: Dr. Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by margouillatphotos from Getty Images 

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Workout: Cardio Craziness

5 people jumping in a workout class

Time: 45 minutes

Equipment Needed: Box / Bench and a Battle Rope / Medicine Ball

Warm Up: 5 - 10 minutes

Challenge:

This doesn’t look like much but it is KILLER! Complete this ENTIRE circuit at one time in your best time possible (with perfect form). Use modifications and scale when necessary. This workout is great! Complete 3 rounds of the following exercises.

  • 25 Box Jumps (or 75 touches)

  • 30 Push-Ups

  • 35 Burpees - regular

  • 40 Straight-Leg Sit-Ups

  • Battle Ropes to Fatigue (or sub with medicine ball slams)

  • ¼ mile Run

Cool Down & Stretch: 5 - 10 minutes


Workout by: Dr. Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by Syda Productions 

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Recipe: Vegan Baked Apples

vegan baked apples on a plat with a nut topping and a fork

This healthy comfort food dessert has all the flavors of the holidays… and it couldn’t be easier to assemble!

Serves 6.

Ingredients:

  • 3 apples

  • ¼ cup (35 g) coconut sugar

  • ¼ cup (20 g) rolled oats (gluten-free, optional)

  • 1 Tbsp almond butter

  • ¼ cup (30 g) slivered almonds

  • ½ tsp cinnamon

  • ¼ tsp nutmeg

  • 1 cup (240 ml) water

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F / 190°C.

  2. Wash the apples and slice them in half lengthwise (along the core). Scrape out the core with a spoon and place the apple, flesh side up, in a baking dish.

  3. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, oats, almond butter, almonds, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The mixture will resemble a crumble topping.

  4. Spoon the mixture into each apple core by heaping tablespoons. Pour 1 cup / 240 ml of water around the apples and place in the oven to bake until cooked through, about 25 - 30 minutes.

  5. Remove and serve as-is or with yogurt. So good!


Recipe by: Dr. Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by Hana-Photo from Getty Images 

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Workout: Sprints & Then Top It Off

man sprinting on a promenade by the beach

Time: 45 - 60 minutes

Equipment Needed: Dumbbells and Cones / Markers

Warm Up: 5 - 10 minutes (REALLY well with joint mobility and active stretching)

Sprints:

Set up 2 cones about 50 meters apart. Sprint as fast as you can to each cone. Walk back to the starting line for recovery and repeat when you are ready to go again. Do this a total of 8 time (8 sprints and 8 walks).

Rest as Needed (4 - 7 minutes)

Challenge:

Complete this circuit at one time in your best time possible (with perfect form). Modify when necessary. Complete 1 round ONLY - for time.

  • 50 Squats

  • 40 Front Raises (on each side)

  • 30 Bicep Curls

  • 20 Double Unders or 80 Singles

  • 10 Inchworms

Rest as Needed (3 - 6 minutes).

Finisher:

Complete 1 - 2 sets of the following exercises.

  • 30 Abduction (15 full range straight to 15 top ½ of range) - left side

  • 30 Abduction (15 full range straight to 15 top ½ of range) - right side

  • 20 Fire Hydrants - left

  • 20 Fire Hydrants - right

Cool Down & Stretch: 5 - 10 minutes


Workout by: Dr. Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by Jacob Lund

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